SC seeks report on Bihar Minister's pictures with murder accused

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Siwan Sessions Judge to submit a report to clarify if the alleged criminals photographed with Bihar Minister Tej Pratap Singh were proclaimed offenders on the day the pictures were taken.

The apex court was referring to the photographs of Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed seen along with Bihar Health Minister and Lalu Prasad's son.

The bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Amitava Roy also sought a report on the status of the CBI investigation in the case.

Tej Pratap Singh, Rashtriya Janata Dal strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin and the Bihar government had told the court that on the day the two were seen with the Bihar lawmaker, they were not proclaimed offenders and his meeting them was a matter of chance.

The court said that the report should reach it before November 28 -- the next date of hearing.

Of the two accused, Kaif has surrendered and Javed is still absconding. However, the CBI on Monday told the court that Javed too has surrendered in another case and would soon be examined in Rajdev Ranjan murder case.

While seeking report from the Sessions Judge, the court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a report on the status of its investigation into the murder of journalist Rajdev Ranjan, in which both the accused were allegedly involved.

The court's order came on a petition by the victim's widow Asha Ranjan alleging proximity between Kaif, Javed, Tej Pratap Singh and Rashtriya Janata Dal strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin who is now in jail.

She has sought transfer of the trial outside Bihar as she fears tampering with witnesses by the duo.

The court had given the CBI three months to complete the investigation.

--IANS

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